holland



D 1941- s. s. HOLLAND 2,2166,757

' WASHING MACHINE Filed April 21, 1.957 2 SheeCs-Sheet 1 o I 3 I 6 DQ000000 I 3a, 1|

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INVENTOR 3 Sidney ,S-Holland Mo ATTO Dec. 23, 1941. s. s. HOLLAND 2,265,757

WASHING MACHINE Filed April 21, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 l I 7/ I .70

/5 Pi ya 2 INVENTOR YSl'dnezy $.Holianol M ATTOR I PatentedDec. 23, 1941 wasnmc MACHINE Sidney s. Holland, Sanduskyrohio, assignor to Y The Apex Electrical Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohioia corporation of Ohio 7. Application April 21 1937, Serial No. 138,128

' 2 Claims. 01.- (la-132) J This invention relates to a laundry machine and, in particular; to a small portable domestic washingmachine, and the gearing'or operating mechanism provided therefor.

-Present invention has for its'objects; the provisionof a small portable domestic washing machine which is light in weight and which is of simple andinexpensive construction; the p'ro-- vision of a" machine of the type described in which the cover of "the washing compartment also constitutes a housing or enclosure for the operating mechanism of the'machi'ne; and the provision of a generally simplified form of wash- The tub I'constitutes a supporting base for the operating mechanism of the machine which is carried by the ring lb of the tub. "A pair of handles 2, 2 attached to the side of the tub are I provided for handling-thetub and themachine;

A ring-or corrugation Id is formed in'the side- -wall of the tub I to indicate the proper water level.

The operating mechanism of the machine is mounted within a housing 3 having a removable cover 4 with a perforated portion 4a which cooperate with perforations 5 in'the side'wall'of ing machine mechanism including'nove1 means for effecting the lubrication of the operating elements of the mechanism over extended periods of time without requiring any attention on the part of the operator.

These and other objects in they invention will" become'more apparent and better understood after consideration has been giver'i to the fol lowing detailed description of the invention taken in connection'with the drawings which show,

' merely ,by way of illustration, structure adapted for carrying out'the objects of the invention.

view, partly in section, of a washing machine illustrating one form of the invention; Figure 2 is a plan viewof the top of the machine shown in Figurel; Figure an enlarged plan view looking down on the operating mechanism of the .2 In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevational" machine with the cover of the mechanism hous- I ing "remby g; Figure in a sectional view taken on line 4 '4, Figure 3; Figure. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the 'upper'bearing of the agitator, shaft; ,Figure '6 is jan enlarged plan view of the underside vvofjthe agitator; Fi e"? a sectional view taken on line lg-,1, Figure 3; Fig ure8jisa sectional view tak'en'on line 8-,-8, Figurei3; Figureais a, detail sectional view taken on line 9 -9, Figure 13; and Figure '10 isa detail sectional view of a modified form .of structure,

for supporting operating mechanism ofthe ma- I chine uponits removal fromv the tub. The washing machine illustrated in ings is of light weightand portable construction and it is particularly adapted for use in apartthe drawmerits and small homes which are not provided with a laundry room. Because of its smallness and portability, the. washer may be used-in the kitchenor in the bathroom and when not in use, it may be stored in a closet or in any other convenient place. v

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, the washing machine shown therein comprises a-tub or container I for clothes and washing fluid. The tub I is preferably of a unitary .7 construction. Its top edge is turned over at Ia and an annular ring or corrugation lb is formed in the sidewall of the tub a slight distancebelow its upper edge.

the housing to permit a circulation of air through the housing. Handles 6, 6 are provided for handling the housing 3 andthe operating mechanism within it. The housing 3 has a bottom I, provided with annular ribs Band 8a for thepurpose of reinforcing and stiffening the same. Legs 3a are welded or otherwise attached to the side of the housing for supporting the same upon its removal from the tub.

An agitator comprising a base part III, a hub part "I 0a and blades I Ia, I Ib and I I0, is suspended beneath the bottom 1 of the housing 3 by means of a shaft I2 received in the hub part IIla of the agitator. The shaft I2 is journaled in a suitable bearing I3 attached to therhousing bottom by any suitable means such as a nut. I4. "An oilretaining, fibrous washer I3c encircles the'shaft I2 above the bearing I3 for the purpose of lubricating the same. .The fibrous washer I3a is 'held in place onthe shaft I2f by means of a washer I31; and apin I30. v

Within the housing: 3 there is located a motor I5 for driving the'shaft I2 and the associated agitator through suitable mechanism which will be described in detailprese'ntly. The motor is connected a source of current supply by means of a cable or cord IS, the same being insulated from the side wall of the housing 3 by means of an electrically "non-conducting washer or sleeve I 'l The motor I5 is provided with an armature shaft I8 which is connectedito one end of a flexible shaft or tube 20 by means of' a cotter pin 2|. I The other end of the flexible shaft is connected to a worm shaft 22 by means of another cotter pin 23. The worm shaft 2 2 is journaled in suitable bearings in an oil-retaining gear case 24 having a cover part'24a. A worm 25 rigid with the shaft 22 is located inside such gear vcase. a V V The worm is adapted for meshing engagement with a worm gear 26 secured to a shaft 28 by means of a pin, Upper and lower bearings 3I and 32 are provided in the gear case 24 and its cover 24a for the wormgear shaft 28. The worm gear shaft projects through the cover of the gear case where it is attached to one end.

of a crank member 33 by means of apin 34. The

other end of the crank member carries a bearing pin 35 and this element is fastened to the crank by means of a pin 36.

Lubricant may be supplied to the gear case by means of a pipe fitting 31 having a removable filler plug 38 which may be provided with an air vent hole 40, as is shown in Figure 3. The

crank pin is journaled in one end of a pitman ll. The other end of the pitman is arranged to receive a bearing pin 42 which is attached at one end to a crank arm 43. The other end of this crank-arm is fastened by means of a pin 44 to the agitator shaft i2.

Theupperendofthebearingpinliisprm vided with a washer 3541 which maybe held in place on the pin by means of a cotter pin 35!). The bearing pin 42 is provided at its upper end with a washer 424: which may be held in place by means of a cotter pin 42b. The washers 35s and 42a serve to hold the pitman in place on the bearing pins I5 and 42.

The gear cover 24o. is provided with apairofarms4land4l,theendsofwhichare adapted for receiving bolts or threaded hooks and 48 respectively, by means of which the gearcasemaybesecuredtosupportingbarsfl and SI respectively, which are secured to the 'housing 3 internally thereof. 'Ihe gear case 51 for the shaft l2 and it also provides a lubri-' cant-receiving cavity 8 which communicates by means ofa duct I with the agitator shaft and .in this manner supplies lubricant to the same.

Theendstlandflofthepitmanllarealso arranged wiflisimilarlubricant-retainingcavities,as isclearlyshownin l'lgure 4;sothat lubricant may be supplied'to the bearingpins ,3 and II. In the end ll 01' the, pitmamdhe bearingforthepinliisindicatedbythenumeral 02. A lubricant-retaining .cavity 83 surrounds this bearing and communication between the cavity 68 and the bearing pin it is effected by means of the duct ll.

'I'heendflofthepitmanisofsubstantially similar construction to the end just described andinthismannerthebearingpinsflandfl" are supplied with lubricant at all times. In the useoi'thisdevice, itisintendedtousearelatively thick grease so that the lubricant-receiving cavities when once filled, will serve to lubricate theirbearingsforarelativelylongtime 'lhe sameresultcouldbeachievedbypackingthe cavities about the bearings with an oil soaked, fibrous material.

'Ihe motor "is surrounded by a band formed from upper and lower halves l5 and 66 respectively. The opposite ends of the bands are joined together by any suitable means, such as, for example, the screws 8!. Threaded books or bolts I and I. are provided to clamp the motorsupportingbandto the supporting'bars II and ii. A sound-deadening, vibration amorbing element, as for example, a rubber band II is provided at each of the points where the bolts 41, I, I4,

55, i8 and It enga e the supporting bars 50 and 5|.

In the use of the machine, the tub' i is first charged with fluid and clothes so that the fluid level is at or near the ring or corrugation Id oi the tub. when the motor is operated, the agitator is oscillated about its axis, agitating the fluid and clothes in the tub and in this manner,

the washing operation is eil'ected.

The upper portion of the tub- I closely emthe tub I for wringing after which another batch of clothes may be placed in the machine.

If desired, supporting legs to may be attached to the bottom I of the housing 3 and arranged so that they occupy a position closely adjacent to the inside surface of the sidewalls of the tub I when the housing is in its operative position. In the use of this arrangement which is illustrated in "detail in Figure 10 of the drawings, the channeled side of the legs would be reversed so as to face radially outwardly and thus present substantially smooth, vertically disposed rubbing projections along the sidewall of the tub for the purpose of enhancing the washing action of the machine -Having thus described myinvention what I claim is: v

1. A washing machine comprising a washing tub, a cover therefor including a compartment provided with power means to drive an agitator, a motor for said power means eccentrically arranged in said compartment. an agitator dependingfromtheundersideofsaidcoverintothe andadmted towash clothes-therein, a plurality of supports depending from said cover, saidmpportsbeingradiallyspacediromeach other to describe a circle having a diameter exceeding the diameter of said tub and arranged to embrace the side walls thereof, said supports having an axial extent exceeding the axial'extent of said agitator, whereby the cover in its entirety may be supported on a surface in upright position upon removal from the washing tub.

2. A portable washing machine comprising a tub, a combined cover and power unit mounted on said tub, said .unit including a compartment to house an agitator drive mechanism and a motor eccentrically arranged in the compartment, an agitator depending from, the under side of said unit and adapted to extend downwardly into said tub, spaced supporting legs carried by said unit depending downwardly therefrom to embrace the outer walls of the tub and frictionally secure said unit to the tub, said supporting legs terminating in a plane beneath the plane of the lower portions of said agitator, whereby the unit in its entirety may be supported in a stable position on a ilat surface upon removal of the unit from the tub.

SIDNEY S. HOLLAND. 

